Heading north from Porto Cristo, it's about 20km to
ARTÀ
, an ancient hill town of sun-bleached roofs clustered beneath a castellated chapel-shrine, with the bunching peaks of the Serres de Llevant providing a dramatic backdrop. It's a delightful scene, though at close quarters the town is something of an anticlimax - the cobweb of cramped and twisted alleys doesn't quite match the setting. Nonetheless, the ten-minute trek to the
Santuari de Sant Salvador
, the shrine at the top of Artà, is a must for the views out over eastern Mallorca. Also make time to visit the substantial remains of the prehistoric settlement of
Ses Paisses
(April-Sept daily 9am-1pm & 3-7pm; Oct-March Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 2.30-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm; ?1.20), tucked away in a grove of olive, carob and holm oak trees about 1km to the south of the town.
Buses
to Artà stop on the edge of the town centre, beside the C715. From the bus stop, it's a couple of hundred metres west to the short main street, c/Ciutat, where there are several
cafés
. The best is
Café Parisien,
at no. 18, a trendy little place with an outside terrace, that offers tasty tapas and salads at reasonable prices. The
Ca'n Balague
, at no. 19, is a more traditional café-bar also serving light meals.
Artà is a major crossroads: to the
east
, the main road cuts through the village of
CAPDEPERA
- a dusty, elongated village, crouched below a fine crenellated castle - before descending to the coast at the massive resort of
CALA RAJADA
, whose excellent beaches are a favourite haunt of German package tourists. Twice-daily, passenger-only
catamarans
connect the resort with Ciutadella in Menorca throughout the year. To the
west
, the C712 weaves through the hills to Ca'n Picafort and the Badia d'Alcúdia.
